Group indicating flash mechanism



P 1, 1931- F. M. CARROLL GROUP INDICATING FLASH MECHANISM Filed April 22. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet l awuewtoz a-btoweq FRED M. CARROLL Sept. 1, 1931.

F. M. CARROLL I GROUP I NDICATING FLASH MECHANISM Filed April 22. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 11221111 I! II III 1% Sept. 1, 1931. F. M. CARROLL 1,821,088

GROUP INDICATING FLASH MECHANISM Filed Apfil 22. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Zlvweufoz FRED M. CARROLL 351;; Sum,

Sept. 1, 1931. V CARROLL 1,821,088

FRED M. CARROLL Patenteds ept. 1, 1931 UNITED STATES PATIENT ornca FRED K. CARROLL, OF YONKE-BS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO'1HE TABULA'IING IACHINE COMPANY, OF llIWIIDIK'JO'PL, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY GBOU P INDICATING FLASH MECHANISM Appllcat'lcnjled A ri a, 1m. Serial'No. 185,112;

The invention concerns tabulating machines and more particular! a device for indicating a card group be ore the group actually becomes effective in controllin the 5 adding and printing mechanisms 0 the machine.

Tabulating machines are designed to operate under control of perforated cards from which the data represented by the perforations is entered into accumulators and added and printed. Certain card columns are ordinarily used to indicate classification data and it is customary to control the machine operation from these classification columns. Briefly, before being tabulated the cards are sorted into groups of like classification and as the cards feed through the tabulator the classification perforations establish a control circuit causing the tabulating to continue as long as. successive cards bear the same classification data. When the classification or card group changes, meaning that two successive cards have unlike classification perforations, the control circuit of the machine is interrupted causing the machine either to stop or to take a total as desired. Tabulatorsare provided with upper or control brushes to which the cards are first fed and lower or adding brushes to which each card is fed exactly one machine cycle later. It is often desirable to know not only when a group changes but also what particular group will be tabulated next. The first card in a group is fed to the upper brushes before the machlne senses the difference between its classification data and that on the receding card; conse uently the card whic bears the first group designation of the succeeding group is already under the upper analyzing brushes before warning is given that the group is to change.

In certain cases it may be desirable to perform some operation either connected or not connected with. the tabulating machine l for each new group. For example, it may be desirable to enter items manually, as may be done with the mechanism shown in my copendin'g application Serial No. 150,248 filed November. 23, 1926, at the head of the i0 listed items for each group. The present invention is designed to indicate on the machine itself a change in the card group and also the classification data of the group which is to be tabulated.

Oneobject ofthe invention is to provide for indicating the group to which a card belongs before it has entered the analyzing mechanism which controls tabulating features.

Another object of the invention is to provide mechanism for indicating a card group before the first card of the group feeds to the adding control mechanism.

Another object'of theinvention is to provide mechanism for indicating the group of a card which has fed to the upper or control brushes before it feeds to the lower oradding brushes of the tabulator.

The invention contemplates taking the classification data from each card as it feeds to the upper or control brushes of the machine and entering it in a registering mechanism similar in general form to the usual accumulator but differing therefrom in that, it is provided with no transfer mechanism and in that the drive is modified to conform to the new features.

The preferred form of the invention provides for two of these entering devices which alternate to receive the classification data of alternate cards. As a card feeds to the upper brushes its classification: data is entered into one of these devices and as the next card feeds to the upper brushes its classification data is entered into the other device while the first device is restored to its normal home position. The two devices thus alternate in registering the group designation and at the end of each cycle one of them indicates by its position the classification or group of the card which is under the upper brushes. A suitable shutter mechanism is provided for obscurin the entering. device. which is restoring during the cycle and for exposing the indication of the device which registers the card group. There is a constant flashing of the card group alternately on the two mechanisms making it almost im ossible to read them while the machine is eeding cards but ordinarily it is desirable to stop the machine if any operation is to be performed in connection with a new card group and when the machine is so stopped the card group under the upper brushes may be read from one or the other of the indicating mechanisms.

The invention will be clear from the following detailed description which should be' positions from that shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 6 is a detail of the automatic control device for the machine and,

Fig. 7 is a circuit diagram of a tabulator embodying the invention.

The tabulator indicated in the diagram in Fig. 7 is of the type disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 147,960 filed November 12, 1926, now Patent Number- 1,750,459, to which reference may be had 'for a complete description of its operation.

The present explanation will be limited to what is necessary for an understanding of the present invention.

The mechanical parts of the tabulator are driven by the motor 12 (see Fig. 7) to which power is furnished by the mains 10 and 11 to which the motor may be connected by the switch 13. The upper or control brushes of the tabulatorare indicated at 14 and the lower or adding brushes at 15, these brushes having coacting contact plates 16 and 17 respectively with which the brushes engage through the perforations in the cards to close the proper controlling circuits. Each individual plate 16 and 17 is connected to a socket on the panel board 18 so that plugging may be effected to the different devices of the machine as desired.

The automatic control system for the machine consists of magnets 26 and 36, one of each being provided for each group controlling column of the cards, and a pair of these magnets actuate a balanced armature construction as shown in Fig. 6. The magnet 26 is plugged to one of the upper brushes and the magnet 36 is plugged to a corresponding lower brush. As long as the perforations in the cards under the upper and lower brushes agree both magnets 26 and 36 will be deenergized or both will be energized. In either case the balanced armature structure 37 remains in neutral position, being impositively held in this position by latch member 38. An extension 39 on the latch member engages one of a pair of control contacts 27 and holds the pair closed as long as the armature structure 37 is in neutral position. If the perforations in the given column of the cards do not agree, at some time in 'thecycle one or the other of the magnets 26 or 36 will be energized while the other is deenergized in which case the balanced ann'ature'structure 37 will shift, pressing'down on the lever 38 and causing the arm 39 .to release the contact 27 and permit the contacts to open. The contacts 27 are included in the automatic control circuit and when they open inthis manner will cause the machine to stop in the present This control system is fully described in the copending application of Smith, Serial No. 185,718, filed April 22, 1927.

Referring now to Fig. 7, assuming the swltch 13 to be closed causing the motor 12 to operate, card feed maybe instituted by depressing the start key ST in which case one of the starting magnets 41 or 42 of the starting timers D and E will beenergized;

depending upon whether or not there is a card under the upper brushes. If there is no card under the upper brushes, the upper card lever 43. will be in the position shown in the drawing closing the contracts 44 and opening the contacts 45 thereby closing a circuit for the starting magnet 42 of the D timer, this circuit extending from the line 10, through card feed contacts CF9, closed when the machine is at rest, to the start key ST, contacts 44 andD timer starting coil 42 to the negative side of the line 11. If there is a card under the upper brushes, the upper card lever 43 will be shifted to close the contacts 45 and open the contacts 44 in which case the E timer starting magnet 41 will be energized. These starting timers consist generally of cam controlled contacts which operate for severalv machine cycles to insure feeding of the cards to the upper and lower brushes before the automatic control circuit becomes effective. Under the conditions shown in, the drawings the D timer is started and the card feed clutch magnet circuit" is established from line 10.

through wires 50 and 51, D timer contacts D2, wire 52, regular contacts R1, closed at the proper time, in the cycle through card feed clutch magnet 25 and common return 53 to the negative side of the line 11. The:

into the present invention they will not be further explained.-

After the first card has reached the lower brushes 15, the control of the machine is removed from the starting timers and assumed by the automatic control circuit which as explained above includes the contacts 27. This automatic control circuit extends from the line 10 through line 55, contacts 27, wires 56 and 57 to the card feed clutch magnet 25 and thence through the common return 53 to the negative side of the line 11. This circuit will be established once each cycle as long as the contacts 27 remain closed and it will be established at the proper time so that the card feed elements 24 engage and continue the card feed. When the group designations in successive cards change, contacts 27 as explained above will be opened. During this cycle the card feed clutch magnet 25 will fail to energize and card feed clutch'24 will disengage at the end of the cycle, leaving the last card of the group just tabulated under the lower brushes and the first card of the new group under the upper brushes. The group of the card under the upper brushes is indicated accordspectively.

ing to the present invention through a circuit extending through an upper brush and its cooperating contact plate 16 and through a jumper 58 to an indicator control magnet The mechanism controlled by the magnet 156 to indicate the succeeding card group will now be described in connection with Figs. 1 and 5 of the drawings.

Referring first to Fig. 1 which shows the complete indicating mechanism in section, two indicators are shown at and 111 loosely mounted on shafts 112 and 113 re- These shafts as well as the other operating shafts of the indicating mechanism, are driven by a gear train meshing with a gear 124 on the card feed shaft 125 of the machine. iThe card feed shaft rotates only when cards are actually feeding,

being under control of the card feed clntch 24 (Fig. 7), and consequently the rotating .parts of the indicator rotate only during card feed and cease rotating as soon as card feed ceases. Each registering element of the indicator consists of a flanged cylinder (see Fig. 4) to which is attached a ratchet wheel indicated in'thecase of the lower indicator at 114. The lower indicators arefrictionally driven from the shaft 113, the friction 114 by means of a spring 121, the whole as sembly of indicators being assembled to compress the springs so. that the indicating elements will normally rotate with the shaft but may be held against rotation.

The upper indicator 110 (Figs. 1 and 5) is held in its normal home position or arrested in this position at the end of a resetting operation by a latch 128 forced into the path of a sidewise extension 123 on one of the teeth of ratchet 115 by a spring 129 and having arearward extension 130 riding on the surface of a cam 131. The cam 131 makes one revolution for two machine cycles and is shaped to allow spring 129 to force the latch into position to engage extension 123 during one machine cycle and force it out of latching position during the next machine cycle. \Vhen the latch is released by the cam, the indicator 110 starts to rotate with the shaft 112 until it is stopped by a member 133, stoppageby this member being timed to interrupt the indicator so that it registers the data represented by a perforation in the card under the upper brushes The stop member 133 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 134. A yoke 135 is pivoted at 136 on a link 137 whose upper end is pivoted to a bellcrank 138, carrying a cam following roll 139 on its freearm. The cam follower is spring pressed against the surface ofa cam 140 which rotates one for each two machine cycles. The member 135is provided with two oppositely extending hooks and 146 adapted to cooperate, respectively, with extensions 147 and 148 on the member 133. During one machine cycle the cam 140 rocks the bell crank to the position shown in Fig. 1 and during the next cycle raised causing the hook 146 to operatively I engage the extension 148 on member 133 (see Fig.1). During the next cycle the .hook 145 engages the extension 147 on the memher 133 (see Fig. 5). The"member 133, regardless of the shifting of the yoke 135, remains in the osition shown in Fig. 1 but may be move to-engage the ratchet teeth of either ratchet wheel 114 or 115. .This stop member 133 is held in its three possible positions by an impositive lock consisting of a notched plate 159, into engagement with which is spring pressed a latching member 160. Energization of the control magnet 156 in response to a perforation in a controlling record will shift the stop member 133 to engage the ratchet teeth of one or the other of the indicators causing it to stop in.

a position registering the data represented by the perforation.

Fig. 5 illustrates the operation when the upper indicator is in use. Pivoted to the yoke 135 is a rock lever 151 which in turn is pivoted. at 152 and has a sidewise projection 153. The supporting structure of the armature 155 of magnet 156 carries an extension 154 which normally engages under the projection 153 (see Fig. 1) and holds the yoke 135 against movement. When the magnet 156 isenergized to attract its armature the extension 154 releases the projection 153 and the member 151 rotates clockwise under the action of a spring 167. This results in movement of the yoke 135 to the right as shown in Fig. 5 and the hook 145 which is engaged with extension 147 of the stop member 133 rocks the stop member about its pivot 134 moving its end into the path of the ratchet teeth of wheel 1'15 as shown in this figure thereby stopping the indicating element in position to indicate the data represented by the perforation on the card which caused energization of magnet 156. At the beginning of the next machine cycle one of the lugs on shaft 161 engages the extension 162 on member 151 and raises it to permit the latch 154 to reengage under the projection 153 restoring the yoke 135 to normal inoperative position. The lug on cam shaft 163 then engages a rearward extension on the stop member 133 and rocks it back to its neutral position as shown in Fig. 1. The ratchet wheel being thus released, the indicator element again rotates with the shaft 112. Meanwhile the cam 131 presents its low portion to the cam follower on lat'ch 128 and the latch returns to the position shown in Fig. 1 whereupon it engages the extension 123 on ratchet wheel 115 when the indicator element reaches zero or home position and holds the element in home position until the latch is again released.

At the beginning of this cycle also the cam shifts the bell crank 138 to'the position shown in Fig.1 causing the hook 146 on the yoke 135 to engage the projection 148 on the stop member 133 whereupon the latter will operate to stop the indicator 111 during this cycle to indicate the perforation on the record card. During this succeeding cycle the operation will be 'repeatcd on the lower indicator. In this case the latch 184 for the lower indicator is released by the cam 185 and the stop member 133 is rocked back to its neutral position by cam 186.

A shutter is provided to obscure the I indicator which is restoring and it continues to obscure it at the end of the cycle when it registers zero. This shutter has apertures 176 and 177 cooperating with the indicating elements of the lower and upper indicators respectively. The shutter is shifted during alternate cycles through the bell crank 178, one of whose arms is attached to the shutter and the other of whose arms carries a cam follower 180 pressed against the surface of a cam 181 by a spring 179.

When the card feed ceases on a change of card group, then, one or the other of the indicators 110 and 111 will register the group of the card under the u per or, control brushes and the reading of t is indicator will be exposed by the shutter 175.

Having now described and explained an operative exemplary structure involving the invention what I claim is:

1. In an accounting machine, record analyzing means comprising two sets and means controlled thereby for controlling machine operation in accordance with data on a controlling record and means controlled by the record for indicating data thereon prior to its analysis by 'the second of the sets of analyzing means.

2. In an accounting machine, record analyzing means comprising two sets and means controlled thereby for controlling machine operation in accordance with data entered in certain columns of a controlling record and means controlled by the record for indicating data entered in certain other columns thereof prior to its analysis by the second of the sets of the analyzing means.

3. In an accounting machine, record analyzing means and means controlled thereby for manifesting data entered in certain record columns and means controlled by the record for indicating group indicating data entered in other record columns prior to the manifesting of any data in the first named columns.

4. In an accounting machine record analyzing means, means for feeding records thereto and means controlled by said analyzing means for manifesting data entered on said records, automatic controlling means for determining machine operation'in accordance with classification data on the records and means controlled in accordance with the card classification data for indicating the classification data on a record prior to the manifesting of any data on the record under control of the analyzing means.

5. In a record controlled accounting machine including control analyzing mechanism and entering analyzing mechanism, means conjointly controlled thereby to determine machine operation in accordance with like and unlike data on controlling records and means controlled by said control analyzing means for indicating the control data on a controlling record.

6. In a record controlled accounting machine including control analyzing mechanism and entering analyzing mechanism and means for feeding records successively to said mechanisms, means controlled conjointly by said mechanisms to determine machine operation 1n accordance with like and unlike classification data on successive records, and means including a pair of entry receiving devlces for entering classification data of suci cessive records alternately on said devices prior to the analysis of each card by the entering analyzing mechanism.

In arecord controlled accounting machine control analyzing mechanism and means for feeding records successively to said analyzing mech'amsm. means for deternnnmg machlne operation 1n accordance with like and unlike classification data on 101 successive records and means controlled by said analyzin mechanism and comprising a pair of classification entry receiving devices for entering classification data of successive records alternately on said devices.

8. In a record controlled accounting machine, control analyzing mechanism and means. for feeding records successively to said analyzing mechanism, means for determining machine operation in accordance with like and unlike classification data on successive records and means controlled by I said analyzing mechanism and comprising a pair of entry receiving devices for indicating data on successive records alternately on said devices and means for restoring each device to home position while being made in the other.

9, 'In a :record controlled accounting ma chine, control analyzing means and means for feeding records successively thereto, means forgdetermining machine operation in accordance with like 'and'unlike classification data. on successive records and means controlled by said analyzing mechanism and com rising a pair of entry receiving devices an entry is for lndicating data on successive records alternatel on said devices, means for restoring eacii device to home position while an entry is being made in the other and means for automatically obscuring the indications of each device While it is restoring.

10. In a record controlled accounting machine, record analyzing means and means for feeding records successively thereto, an entry receiving device and means controlled by the analyzing means for entering data from alternate records only on said device.

11. In a record controlled accounting machine, record analyzing means and means for feeding records successively thereto, an entry receiving device, means controlled by the analyzing means for entering data from alternate records only on said device and means for restoring said device to zero during the feeding of alternate records from which no data is entered. I

I2. In a record controlled accounting machine, record analyzing means and means for feeding records successively thereto, an

entry receiving'device, means controlled by thefanalyzing means for entering data from alternate records only on said device, means i. forrestoring said device to zero during the feeding of alternate records from which no data is entered and means controlled by chine, record analyzing means and means for feeding records successively thereto, a 30 pair of entry receiving devices, common control means for said devices including said analyzing means and means controlled by machine operation for selecting said devices alternately for entry of data from alternate records and means for restoring each device to. zero during the entry of data on the other.

15 In a record controlled accounting machine, record analyzing means and means for feeding recordssucces'sively thereto, a 0 pair of entry receiving devices, common control means including the analyzing means for enterin data from alternate records alternately ofsaid devices, means for restorin each device to zero during the feeding o as alternate records from which no data is entered and means controlled by machine operation for automatically obscuring the reading of each device while it is restoring to zero.

16. In a record controlled accounting machine, record analyzing means, an entry receiving device with frictional drive therefor, means for restraining said element against movement, means for releasi said 105 element at predetermined times to permit frictional drive thereof and means controlled by said analyzing means for interceiving device, frictional driving mechanismtherefon means for normally restraining said element against movement, means for intermittently releasing said element for movement and again restraining it after a complete cycle of operation, means controlled by said analyzing means for temporarily interrupting the movement of said element during the cycle to indicate temporarily data on a controlling record and 1 means for restoring said element to normal position, .said indicating and resetting operations following each other automatically and in an uninterrupted sequence.

18. In an accounting machine, means comprising a pair of spaced analyzing devices for comparin the index points of successive cards, in lcating means, and means controlled by one of the analyzing devices for controlling said indicating means for visibly indicating classification data of one card when successive cards are unlike and prior to the presentation of that card to the other analyzing devices.

19. In an accounting machine, means comprising analyzing devices adapted to compare the group number representing perforations of successive cards, means for successively and visibly indicating the group number of successive cards, and means for retaining the indication of the group number of the first card of a succeeding group as an incident to the presentation of cards having unlike group number representing perforations to said analyzing devices.

20. In a tabulating machine, means comprising sets of analyzing devices adapted to compare the group number representing perforations of successive cards, one of said sets adapted to control means to indicate in uninterrupted succession the group numbers of cards successively presented to one of the sets, and means rendered efiective as an incident to the presentation of cards having unlike group number re resenting perforations to said, sets of ana yzingdevices to modify the operation of said 'machine whereby the operator may visibly ascertain from the indicatin means the group number of the first'car of a succeeding group.

In testimony whereof 1 hereto aflix my" signature. 7

- FRED M. CARROLL. 

